tushanshu | I; [video]

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I; [video]

[The video comes on to reveal an alicorn gazing seriously at the screen, head held proudly and wings slightly spread. It took her several practice runs to ensure that she was working the machine correctly; of course she wouldn't risk talking to anypony else until she had. Now, though, she is the picture of cool, calm royalty. In other words, she's doing the Celestia.]

Good evening to all. I am Luna, Princess of Equestria and the Moon, bringer of night and keeper of dreams. I know not by what power or authority this Emperor hath brought us hither, but I care not. I shall return to my people, and I swear that I shall see all of thee returned to thine. Now, I pray that thou wilt be willing to share whatever information thou hast gathered about our plight? [She glances off-screen, eyes narrowed.] Perhaps beginning with why my rooms are infested with these small furry beasts. On that note, I have a great deal of furniture I wish to dispose of...

[Her feathers ruffle and she shifts her weight a little, suddenly looking rather less certain of herself. She doesn't like it here, and that furniture is really just driving it home for her. Alone again, so soon? After a moment, she adds in a quieter tone:] ...also, should any Equestrians be present, stay where thou art. I shall come to thee.

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[you

you are]

...you are a horse.

[NAILED IT]

[Oh, a dragon! This is actually familiar enough to Luna to almost be comforting.]

Neigh, an alicorn. My kingdom is to the north of the Draconic Territories, you must have heard of it.

[Temeraire, for his part, is trying frantically to recall the few horses he has eaten in the past, and whether or not they said anything before being eaten. None of them were blue: that must be a start, at least.]

I am afraid I have not: I am from a country called China, and more recently one called England, and I have never heard of anything like the Draconic Territories. But pray, what is an alicorn, and what are the Draconic Territories like?

I have never heard of those places... [And she knows every place on her planet. He must be from another. Shame.]

An alicorn...ah, 'tis quite the question. There are three type of ponies, you see: earth, pegasus, and unicorn. Earth ponies are the strongest, and have a connection to the earth. They bring the harvest, and turn the seasons. Pegasi have wings and weather-sense, they shepherd the clouds and winds. Unicorns have horns and magic, and before the age of chaos it was they who lifted the sun and stars.

[She spreads her wings a little wider, in a proud gesture.] Alicorns have the powers of all three races. There are four of us, now.

[He blinks, impressed.] Then you are rarer even than Celestials, and you must be very powerful indeed.

We are. [What's modesty, can you eat it] My sister and I were the first, many years ago.

...her name is Celestia. [Yeah she was going to ask what Celestials were but now she is sad]

The first! Were you bred for it? Where did you come from?

[But clearly this is a touchy subject, so he hurriedly stops himself from asking any further questions.] Well, your coat is very near the same shade as an Imperial or a Celestial; I have never seen a pony that colour, before.

We were born as such, though our parents were earth ponies...but that was the Age of Chaos. Many stranger things happened than two foals with horns and wings. No alicorns have been born since then; the other two ascended to the rank, through great merit.

What are Imperials and Celestials?

[He listens, a little wide-eyed; it sounds a little like the legends he heard in China, where someone might attain a high position, or perhaps even godhood, if they proved themselves worthy of it.]

Oh, they are breeds of dragon; the Celestials in particular are very rare, and Imperials not much less so. There are eight of us Celestials, all told; and according to tradition we are only permitted to be the companions of the Chinese Imperial family.

My, 'tis not very many at all.

For what purpose are you companions? Are the Chinese also dragons...or perhaps qilin? [Chinese. Chineighse. Oddly similar words, those.]

Well--for companionship, I suppose; it is very pleasant to have someone to keep one company, and read to one, particularly when one has grown so large one cannot turn pages very well. In the West we have captains, which are similar, in some respects--but then again we are at war, so the comparison is not quite the same.

Oh, no; our companions are human. China is a nation, and so everyone living within it is Chinese, whether they are human or dragon.

I see. 'Tis sensible, I suppose; the dragons I hath met do not generally care for such companionship, but there are those along the border who send for unicorn readers, every now and again.

You are at war?

The border with the Draconic Territories, as you said? So the dragons in your world have lands all their own?

Yes, that is right; we--that is to say, the country of England--are at present at war with France, which is a country quite close by. They are trying to take over our land, for no good reason, so of course we must stop them.

Of course! Their migrations oft take them over Equestrian airspace, but we respect their sovereignty and they respect ours. Our treaties are ancient.

...ah, imperialists. We fought many such wars in my kingdom's infancy. But - oh dear, is this a war betwixt humans and dragons? [Such tiny fragile things humans seem, compared to even a dragon of his size.]

It sounds famous, to be able to have one's own country--though I suppose there are a great many things one should like to have humans around for, all the same. [That spot between his back teeth he can never quite reach, for one.]

Well, there are humans and dragons on both sides, if that is what you mean: in England all willing dragons are in the Royal Aerial Corps, and we serve alongside crews some twenty or thirty strong. And there is the Army, of course, and the Navy, but they should hardly be anywhere without us.

Actually, they tend to be isolationists except for the border dwellers. Their memories are long enough to remember the last war, I suppose.

But surely the bloodshed must be horrendous! Humans are so...small, and magic-less, and most likely quite flammable!

They are not at all fragile when several of them have got a cannon pointed at you, I can assure you of that; and of course a squad of riflemen on dragonback can do as much damage as the dragon itself, if utilised correctly.

[He looks down for a moment.] Though of course it has been a bloody affair; I will be glad to see the end of it, no matter how exciting a fight may be.

...such weapons are terribly rare in Equestrian society. But could you not simply breathe fire at them, and ignite their munitions?

[And then Luna realized she was sort of advocating blowing up a goodly number of anonymous people.] Of course a diplomatic solution is always preferable, but I imagine thou hast tried that.

[Again with the firebreathers! Temeraire looks vaguely annoyed at the question.] Oh, we cannot all breathe fire, and in any case a firebreather can be quite as dangerous to its own crew's munitions as it is to an enemy's--though they are quite valuable, I will give you that.

I suppose the diplomatic solution is to simply give them the land they want so badly, but that would be unthinkable; they have no right to it, for a start.

Really? My apologies; all the dragons I have ever met breathed fire. Though of course, some can perform different magic with their flames as well.

I do not believe the object of diplomacy is simply to give the other party whatever they please. [Though by her tone, it's fairly obvious exactly how much diplomacy she actually does herself. That's what her sister's around for.] But it has not often worked in such cases anyhow, or at least it did not before Equestria proved her strength in battle.

I have never heard of dragons performing magic. [A pause as he considers.] Can it be taught, do you think, or must one be born with it?

Of course it ought not be that way, but it is how the Prussians capitulated, in the end, and the Russians; I am told it is not cowardly, to wish for an end to war so, but I for one do not intend to give up so easily.

Well, of course one cannot simply let imperialists what they please, or they shall think they can go taking everything.

I suppose it may be inborn... [She eyes him thoughtfully.] I have only spoken at length with one such dragon, and he was still far too young to have studied magic intensively, even if he was my sister's ward.

[He tries not to look disappointed.] Well, it is a great shame; it would be famous to learn magic, I think.

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